This invention relates to an improved veterinary appliance. In another aspect, this invention relates to an improved veterinary appliance that is used in the treatment of edematous animal tissue. In still another aspect, this invention relates to an improved veterinary appliance that is useful in the size reduction of an edematous prolapsed bovine cervix.
It is well known in the field of veterinary medicine that the involuntary extrusion of certain organs and tissue from certain animals, such as bovine females, is common. One particular troublesome and common malady experienced by female bovine animals is a condition known as a prolapsed bovine cervix, wherein the tissue forming and surrounding the bovine cervix is displaced and is extruded through the vagina of the animal. In most instances where the prolapsed cervix condition exists in bovine animals, the condition is very quickly aggravated due to the fact that such tissue and organs are very sensitive, especially in a harsh environment such as is experienced when the tissue and organs are extruded from the body of the animal. Thus, the tissue becomes irritated and inflamed and almost immediately begins to swell. As the prolapsed cervix is exposed to the harsh environment outside the animal, an edematous condition rapidly develops with the prolapsed cervix becoming swollen and inflamed.
As the edematous prolapsed bovine cervix is exposed to dirt, insects and other foreign bodies, the chances for infections and further injury to the animal is multiplied. Amputation of the edematous prolapsed bovine cervix is unacceptable in most instances because amputation of the tissue and organs will, of course, impair the reproductive capabilities of the animal. However, in some instances where the edematous prolapsed bovine cervix goes untreated and where infections occur, amputation is sometimes required.
The accepted technique for treating edematous prolapsed bovine cervix is to attempt to reinsert the cervix into the pelvic canal of the animal. However, in those instances where the cervix is in an extreme edematous condition, it is impossible to reinsert the cervix tissue back into the vagina and into the pelvic canal of the animal. With such a condition, most veterinarians attempt to remove at least some of the fluid that fills the edematous tissue. Most of the methods for removing the fluid from the edematous structure are at best only partially successful.
One of the most widely used methods for reducing the size of an edematous prolapsed bovine cervix in order that the cervix tissue may be reinserted into the pelvic canal is a rather involved procedure wherein sugar is packed around the swollen tissue to osmotically draw the fluids out of the edematous tissue. Various other types of materials have also been suggested for osmotically removing the fluids from such edematous tissue. Such methods involving the osmotic removal of fluid are all time consuming and quite difficult to perform.
Some veterinarians have resorted to a type of hand removal of fluids from the edematous prolapsed bovine cervix tissue by squeezing and "wringing" the fluid from the tissue in order to reduce the size of the cervix to a point where it can be reinserted into the vagina and into the pelvic canal. However, the manual squeezing or wringing of fluid from the swollen tissue very often results in bruising, tearing of the tissue and other injury that endangers the life of the animal if infection sets in.
It is, therefore, recognized that there is a need for an improved type of veterinary appliance that can be utilized to reduce the size of an edematous prolapsed bovine cervix whereby the fluid can be removed from the swollen tissue in a safe, sanitary manner without additional injury to the animal.